Ch 2

"So" he began after getting her settled in an open room with a sofa area, a piano was off to a side sitting underneath a large painting. El couldn't help but flush and tilt her head down further so he couldn't see her face, her shoulders a little tense. She had been left alone with the stern brother. The one called William ran off to grab the king, their father, once she informed them that she had a delivery make. It was the afternoon now and she stood near the window, trying to look as discreet as possible but couldn't help but fidget under the scrutiny of the one called Colin.

"You're name is El?" he continued, he was trying to be a good host, chatting with her while they wait and he did not want to leave the lad to his own devices. That just would not do.

"Yes your majesty" she replied, wishing he'd stopped looking at her. In fact she wished he'd leave alone all together. He walked over to her then and she held her breathe, looking down at their feet as they almost touched. He grabbed the package from her and inspected it.

"Which vessel are you from El?" he asked with a gentler tone, she could smell the great outdoors on him still. Or was that herself?

"The Katelina, your majesty" He huffed and she practically visibly flinch at the sound.

"Stop with the formalities, my brother is determined to make you a friend. Call me Prince Colin." He said assuredly and walked away from her with the package in hand. Colin sat on the sofa and placed it beside him. The silence that then ensued was deafening, she stood for what she thought was at least ten minutes in silence. In an attempt to find out what the prince was doing she stole a glance at him. Her eyes unconsciously surveyed his face as he was looking into a book. He was very relaxed sitting there, a finger floating across a page he was currently reading. That was until it stopped and he looked up, catching her starring.

Just then a door on the far right wall flew open and in walked the king with Prince William. "I was beginning to wonder when it would get here" he said, stopping in the middle of the room to meet Colin with the package. "Perfect" he was all smiles and then directed it to El.

"You must be the messenger boy" He walked over to her and handed her a silver coin. "For you" he said and she bowed as he began to walk off with the package in hand, going to unwrap it. He paused as Colin phrased a question.

"Will you be doing a garden light dinner for her or a surprise trip this time?"

"Actually I was thinking of taking her on a boat ride this time around." He smiled some more, he seemed so jolly.

El grinned with joy; the mood the king bought was infectious.

"That sounds wonderful father" William supplied.

"Yes, I thought it would be" Henry said before going to look at El again, who still standing by the window was listening. "William could you make sure that…?" the question stood to be answered by El.

"My name is El your highness" she said with another bow.

"Ah, El, finds his way out safely, I don't want him to get lost" Henry said with a gentle smile.

"Of course father" William smiled brightly "follow me El."

As they walked along the familiar halls, her eyes took in everything once more. She had never seen such furnishings and art before, it was so grand. They were going to pass by a room with a hauntingly beautiful painting of a woman inside. El couldn't help but stop and stare. William paused as well and walked back to see what caught the boy's eyes.

"It a painting of my mother" he said with a soft tone and looked down at El who glanced up at the prince briefly.

"She's beautiful"

"I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to meet her before you take your leave." He said before going to walk again. "She's a wonderful person."

"I'm sure" El practically whispered, she didn't want to leave, she wanted to see more.

Prince William took a hand and placed it on her shoulder, "May I be frank with you?"

"Yes, of course" she took a breath "Prince William"

"After seeing you ride today, I would like to escort you back to the ship. To make sure you make it safely." He said.

Her heart felt strange after hearing his admission. She had never thought someone like him could show such concern toward a lower person such as herself. She thought quietly about as they walked further, Prince William was eyeing her waiting for a reply.

"Alright" she quipped, making William's face light up.

They rode for a half hour in silence, it would seem Prince William just wanted the company of another as he seemed rather peaceful riding at a slow pace next to El.

"What's it like living in a castle?" El decided to ask, eyeing the ginger.

"Well, I would think it's like any other home, busy, warm, loving, and filled with memories" El smiled softly at that but looked up to him again.

"That isn't quite what I meant" she said with a smirk.

"I know" he laughed but quieted after.

X

Later on that evening after William got back, he and Colin were saying their farewells to their parents as they were off to go sailing on a beautiful ship called the Miranda. As their mother stepped in to the carriage first, Colin commented then on William's disappearance, he had been gone for almost three hours after all. "I just wanted to make sure he made it back safely, he didn't seem too comfortable riding a horse." William told his brother. Colin sighed softly; knowing his brother's gentle nature all too well, he should have seen that coming. "Plus I got to see the ship again" William added with a big grin.

As Henry stepped into the carriage next he heard his love say "I love you Henry" with a sweet smile plastered on. She starred at Henry who now occupied the seat next to her. He responded in kind and kissed her while the carriage took off. Their sons, who were left behind, stood outside to watch the carriage until they saw their parents' wave out the window for a final goodbye and they in turn waved back before it disappeared into the distance.

Once Henry and Danielle made it to the docks they were escorted onto the Miranda. They would have the entire night alone with each other out to sea and once morning rose they'd be already docked again, ready to be transported home.

The waves were so calm that evening and the ship rocked gently. In their quiet cabin Henry walked up to Danielle who was dressed in her night gown and brushing her hair, "I have another gift for you" he told her before unfolding a plain covering that hid a dress inside. Danielle gasped at its contents and took a hand to touch it. The gown was the prettiest shade of teal adorned in soft patterns with a lining the shade of copper. The slip underneath was a cream color.

He took out the dress and revealed it further. The shoulders were decorated with copper colored beads and billowed open with hidden cream colored sleeves. "The dress is made of the finniest silk" he told her with a huge grin, he was amused at her expression.

"Oh Henry" she started a bit breathless "It's beautiful."

"You like it?" he asked then, taking a seat on the bed next to her.

"I love it" and she kissed him deeply.

The dress was then placed on a stool that sat off beside the bed. Henry crept back over to Danielle and started at her feet. He followed his hands up Danielle's gown before stopping at her hips. He had positioned himself above her and kissed her softly. However the motion of the ship grew harsher. There were sudden waves crashing against the ship as lightening cracked the sky and thunder clapped loudly not long after.

"Henry, I think there's something wrong" she told him as they parted.

"It's just a little storm love" he said as he soothed by kissing her again. But it wasn't long until banging was heard on the door. Henry cursed a bit as he stood to answer the door, while Danielle got out of bed and grabbed the available dress sitting on the stool and put it on.

"What is it?" He asked annoyed.

"The captain has called for everyone to be aware of the sudden storm rolling in your majesty, especially you, your highness…" the man said loudly but meekly behind the door, probably hoping that he wasn't going to get in trouble for interrupting something.

Henry sighed inwardly, "Yes, I'm aware of it" he replied in a bit more leveled tone before opening the door slightly and stepping out to speak. "Is there any cause for me to be worried-" The ship suddenly tilted madly, rocking them into the wall. Right after there was a loud crackling noise above them, soon there were voices yelling. The ship mate starred with nerves eyes. "I can't believe this!" Henry said with a tight mouth.

"You both have to come with me your majesty" he told him while holding on to something as the ship kept rocking violently.

"Danielle!" Henry called in concern as he wobbled back into the cabin where she was walking toward the door while trying to get her shoes on. "You heard?" he asked bewildered.

"No but I'm absolutely sure something is wrong" she said as she slipped on her shoe before her husband grabbed her arm and they left out quickly. The shipmate led them above deck but what met them struck them with further chilling fear.

"Abandon ship!" was yelled as there was a fire breaking out across the deck. Adrenalin pumped through everyone's veins at the sudden fire that started from a lantern falling over near barrels of ale. "You need to get to the boat! Hurry!" the shipmate order as they got over to it, Danielle was rushed inside first before the shipmate hurried Henry in to the boat. Another loud explosion was heard, rocking the escape boat. The shipmate clambered in before trying to safely anchor them down but the rope had caught on fire and snapped. Everyone was knocked out of the small boat and dropped out into the ocean waters.

Pieces of the boat floated in the water after another explosion went off. Henry and Danielle might have lost the shipmate that had gotten them to the escape boat but they stuck close together even as wave after wave crashed into them. The ship called the Miranda went down finally as a final explosion sounded. The shipmates that had gotten one boat free were sailing toward them and as they did a large piece of drift wood came of nowhere and hit Henry unconscious. Danielle noticed his absence because she couldn't hear his drowned out voice behind the crashing waves. She turned to see nothing but ocean. Panicking further, she dived under looking through the blurry vision the sea water created for her. At the last moment she spotted him floating under the water unmoving but she was yanked back by the men in the other escape boat. She screamed and even hit one of them to jump back into the water but it was too late she couldn't even see him anymore. They had drifted too far apart.

X

"There's a ship going down out there captain!" yelled a voice. El ran up to the deck and stood next to her uncle. Their ship rocked harshly under the storm's rage.

"What are we going to do?" she yelled as the rain came down hard finally.

"We'll see if there are any men left behind…" her uncle announced, a bit of dread filling his voice. He was sure that was the ship the King had set sail on right before they had set sail themselves. He prayed that the king and the queen had gotten off safely.

X

Danielle sat in the boat with a shipmate's coat around her; she was silent and didn't say anything even after she had set foot upon soar. The weather was dying down slowly but she was escorted into a carriage and taken home immediately.

When she made it home and the boys were notified of her arrival she was still silent until she looked at her sons and they asked what happened. She broke down crying in a fit of distraught. Only after she was able to compose herself did she tell them what happened. Saying the words only made it harder to believe. He was right there when they pulled her away from grabbing him. She wanted to scream at the image in her mind, it taunted her. Her sons grieved with her inside the castle that only seemed to grow darker under storm's howling and drowning tears of rain.

X

It was dark when he awoke; immersed in water and his lungs burned. When he reached the surface in sucked in air only to choke back up water, he struggled to breathe as his wind pipes had been halted by the little bit of sea that got in. He found a large piece of broken furniture floating by and set himself upon it. It supported him well from going under again. As heavy drops of rain poured on his head, he looked around. Nothing but ocean was what he saw, he feared the worst.

The sound of shouting caught his ears then, "Is anyone still out there!?" he heard though it sounded distant.

"Here!" he yelled back, grabbing tighter to the drift wood he was using to stay afloat. "I'm over here!" It wasn't long before they found him and pulled him from the water.

"Are you alright?" a man asked.

"Yes… I think" he said but he felt confused and lost.

"It's good to see you're a live your majesty" said the second man in the boat with them. He paused and looked at them weird.

"What happened?" he asked then, bewildered. "How did I get all the way out here?"